IN THESE TERRIBLE HOURS IT IS DIFFICULT TO ADEQUATELY EXPRESS MY FEELINGS.

I HAVE SEEN THE HEART OF DARKNESS.

LESS THAN A MILE FROM MY HOME, IN LOWER MANHATTAN WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED, IN THE DISTRICT I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO REPRESENT AND SERVE FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, BENEATH MOUNTAINS OF STONE AND STEEL, LIES THE BROKEN AND BURNED REMAINS OF FATHERS AND MOTHERS, HUSBANDS AND WIVES, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOUNG AND OLD.

MANY OF THEM, PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAR TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF US.

CASUALTIES OF A WAR THEY WERE NOT FIGHTING.

CASUALTIES OF AN ENEMY TOO SPINELESS TO FACE THEM.

CASUALTIES OF A TERRORIST CAMPAIGN INTENDED TO ROB US OF OUR HARD FOUGHT FREEDOM.

LET US PRAY THAT MORE SURVIVORS WILL BE FOUND BEYOND THE FIVE THAT WALKED OUT TODAY MIRACULOUSLY.

LET US PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED AS THEY ENDURE THIS HEART-BREAKING TRIAL.

LET US PRAY FOR THE CRITICALLY INJURED THAT THEY WILL RECOVER AS QUICKLY AND FULLY AS POSSIBLE.

BUT LET US NEVER - NEVER - ALLOW COWARDS TO DICTATE TO US.

LET US NEVER SUCCUMB TO THE FEAR THEY PERPETRATE.

LET US NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE GENERATIONS OF IMMIGRANTS WHO STOOD AGAINST FOREIGN TYRANNY, WENT TO WAR, AND GAVE THEIR LIVES SO THAT WE MIGHT KNOW FREEDOM, PEACE AND SECURITY.

IN THEIR MEMORY, IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED AND DIED IN TUESDAY'S TERRORIST ATTACK, WE NOT ONLY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY ON, WE MUST STAND UNITED AS ONE STATE, ONE PEOPLE, AND MOVE FORWARD STRONGLY AND CONFIDENTLY INTO THE FUTURE.

TWO NIGHTS AGO, AS I TRAVELED MY DISTRICT, I REMEMBERED AN OLD SAYING: IT IS IN OUR DARKEST MOMENTS THAT THE STARS ARE MOST CLEARLY VISIBLE.

YOU HAVE ALL HEARD OF THE INCREDIBLE HEROISM AND SACRIFICE OF NEW YORK CITY'S FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL STAFF.

THEIR COURAGE DURING THIS UNBELIEVABLE CATASTROPHE WILL BE HONORED AND CELEBRATED FOREVER.

WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT SUCH THINGS FROM NEW YORK'S FINEST AND NEW YORK'S BRAVEST.

THEIRS IS A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE.

BUT WHAT THESE WOMEN AND MEN DID ON TUESDAY, AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING NOW, SETS A STANDARD FOR DEDICATION AND VALOR THAT WILL NEVER BE SURPASSED.

THIS ATTACK HAS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF EVERY RESIDENT OF LOWER MANHATTAN IN A THOUSAND WAYS.

IT HAS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF ALL AMERICANS.

I HEARD THE PLANES HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

I FELT THE GROUND SHAKE.

I SAW THE DEVASTATION FROM THE WINDOWS OF MY HOME.

MY NEIGHBOR, PART OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS, DROVE AN AMBULANCE THAT HAD BEEN DEDICATED THREE MONTHS AGO TO THE MEMORY OF MY PARENTS, INTO THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE AFTER THE FIRST PLANE STRUCK THE FIRST BUILDING.

THAT AMBULANCE WAS CRUSHED BY THE FALLING DEBRIS; MY NEIGHBOR INJURED, BARELY ESCAPING DEATH AS HE WAS REMOVED FROM THAT AMBULANCE.

HIS COURAGE - AND THAT OF HIS COLLEAGUES, VOLUNTEERS ON THE FRONT LINES - MAKE US ALL PROUD TO BE NEW YORKERS TODAY.

THEIR COURAGE HAS RENEWED MY CONFIDENCE IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

LET ME SAY HERE AND NOW HOW PROUD I AM OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS LEGISLATURE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS RECOVERY EFFORT.

AS YOU AND CITIZENS BY THE THOUSANDS WENT TO THEIR LOCAL RED CROSS CENTERS TO GIVE BLOOD AND TO VOLUNTEER IN WHATEVER WAY THAT YOU COULD BE HELPFUL - CITIZENS OF EVERY RACE, RELIGION AND ETHNICITY - I KNEW THEN AND I KNOW NOW THAT WE WILL OVERCOME AS WE ALWAYS DO, BECAUSE DIVERSITY IS ONE OF OUR GREAT STRENGTHS.

NEW YORK CANNOT BE STOPPED.

NEW YORK CANNOT BE DESTROYED.

NEW YORK IS AN IDEAL.

IT IS A SYMBOL OF THE WORLD'S HOPE.

LET US BE INSPIRED BY THE SACRIFICE OF ALL WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES TODAY MEETING HUMAN NEEDS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS APPALLING ATTACK.

LET US BE INSPIRED BY THE PICTURE OF LADY LIBERTY, STANDING IN THE HARBOR SO CLOSE TO THAT RUBBLE, HOLDING HIGH HER TORCH THROUGH THE SMOKE AND DEVASTATION.

I, TOO, SALUTE MAYOR GIULIANI AND HIS TEAM FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB THAT THEY ARE DOING IN HANDLING THIS CRISIS.

GOVERNOR, I PLEDGE TO WORK WITH YOU AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU, AND WITH YOU, SENATOR BRUNO, AND WITH ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS LEGISLATURE GATHERED HERE TODAY AND THE OTHER STATE OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO RECOVER FROM THIS DISASTER.

IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD, AS WE STRUGGLE WITH THE PICTURES OF FAMILIES IN DESPAIR, LET US STAND TOGETHER AND PERSEVERE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT COWARDS MAY TOPPLE BUILDINGS AND TAKE LIVES BUT THEY CANNOT CRUSH THE AMERICAN SPIRIT.